Modern Camo Uniform Pattern reference pics

When going through the uniform from BDU to ACU, I thought that I would hate them. I had my BDU's just the way I liked them. And at first I agreed with "Hans" ... the lack of Branch on the uniform drove me up the wall.

... all that UNTIL my first deployment with the ACU. Holy crap did my opinion change!

After they were broken in (after the first wash), they were REALLY comfortable AND they only got better. The pockets being rearranged made a world of difference ... my favorite being the calf pockets. Just within reach for your Cope can when you're stuck in the truck!

I don't really have anything bad to say about them, except for that I disagree with the Army when they decided to go with a "one for all" uniform. Originally, they had planned on going with different versions of the ACU; a greener "jungle" version, a greyer "urban" version, and a tanner desert one. As far as belending in goes .... they don't blend for crap when they're new. Get them faded a bit and they do pretty well in today's operating environments.

Oh, and as for the Branch thing ... It still kind-of bothered me when talking with another Officer b/c you really didn't know "where he was coming from". Besides that, you don't need to know the guy's branch to know whether he's on point or whether a marble is sharper than he is.

Puma Adder is supposed to post the MARPATs.

Here are a set of the OG-107 Jungle Fatigues. Yes I seem to remember paying $8 a set or so when the opened up the stocks in 84. Like you said once you got all you could, they were gone...

I gotta look around a bit more, but I once found a pic of a Marine in desert MARPAT in almost the same pose as a Waffen SS Soldat, and posted 'em side by side... There wasn't a WHOLE lot of difference, visually... With the K-potalongside the Stalhem in a cloth camo cover, it looks pretty close... I'll post it when I find it again...

Here's what I consider an excellent shot of the 1965-78 era OG 107 "Starchies"... This uniform was the one I liked the best for "breakin' starch". (The subdued rank and insignia came later, about 1967 for the sleeve rank as well as subdued "US Army" and Name-tapes, and then it (rank) was moved to the collar in about 1968, following the Marine Corps idea to keep snipers from picking on Senior NCOs)  I had two sets of 'em along with the permanent press fatigues (108s?) until about 1984, when they were pretty well worn out and were lookin' like cook whites (we were still allowed to wear the fatigues and jungle fatigues due to the Army not having a tropical or hot weather BDU).  I never got the Woodland camo field jackets until 1986, when they finally had a wear-out date on the M-65.  Didn't have to buy them, since it was a DX item for enlisted.

I hated to give those things up...

When Cothing Sales re-stocked the Jungles, they went for about 19.00 bucks a set.  I got there first thing in the morning the first day, and was able to get two sets, the max allowed per day.  Went back the next day to buy two more sets and there weren't any left except the Baby Elephant and Dwarf-sizes...  I think the entire stock Army-wide was sold out of 'em in two weeks... If it wasn't for the BDU caps and Woodland helmet covers, we looked like we were all somewhere in the 'Nam...  Another thing I don't like about the digitals is the lack of branch insignia on Officers.  No big deal, but it drives me nuts...

And I concurr with the sentiment about those freakin' berets... I say LET the Rangers have 'em back... It's the most useless piece of headgear ever invented... Which is probably why the Iraqi (among other Arab armies) Army was full of 'em...

Here is the current ACU Digital

And if anyone has any other pics of Vietnam era to current camo uniforms, MARPAT, Flecktarn, DPM, anything Soviet/Russian.... please post them.

Yes Berets, as much as I loved mine, are not a practical piece of daily soldiering headgear, for all the reasons sfcmac stated. In dress unform it looks sharp when worn properly (no pizzaman or chef boyardee please), but otherwise, a patrol cap or boonie hat please.

 Even though I am retired as well I still am hoping to see the day when those dog gone berets bite the dust! I mean for the Airborne, Rangers and SF they were a good fit just like Jump boots with the dress uniforms but for a Tanker in the Motor Pool? Black felt on your head on a hot Texas or Georgia Day? No Sun visor?  What was the purpose other than honoring Monika Lewinski?  When I made that comment I was given a Gen Shinsheki command coin btw?

Like to see the new uniforms as well if you all can post pics. Thanks for the ref pics and the memories!

I dont mind the velcro for rank/unit patches. That is great, it saves money and makes sense for OPSEC purposes. I do hate the pin on skill badges-those should have been velcro attached as well.

Although I am not a big fan of the Greens, if I had to be in class A's, they looked real good with jump boots and a beret (pre-Shinseki era). I heard that will not be authorized with the Blues. I'm glad I wont have to do that. Starched or pressed Khakis for a Class B looked great too!

I agree with the statements about the velcro everywhere.  It is nice, to be able to remove patches and stuff and reorganize everything.  One thing I forgot to mention about the ACU's: if you don't have an IBA on; you look 'frumpy'.  ACUs are just riduculous, and we insist on wearing them everywhere. 

I am looking forward to having the new Blues though-not the purchasing them part; but I think I'll like them more than the greens (especially my last experience wearing the greens...I am in charge of the color guard at my ROTC battalion; and the senior NCO, and the NCOIC of the CG program though we would look good wearing the gators/booties, gloves, ascots etc...horrible.  I did get a sabre though-best part of ROTC..) 

well, I am kinda wearing my woodlands right now,(I am in Japan, so its about 2:30PM over here) but yes I own both types like a good marine should. like I said, I have classes tonight, but I will post the pics before I hit the rack.

Great idea! I presume you have the desert and woodland patterns to put up.

If you want I can slap some pics of them up later when I get home from my classes tonight. if nothing else it would add to what you already have on file.

The funny thing is that those (the pattern) were developed at an Army lab, ERDL. Once the pattern was established, the Marine Corps slapped on an a minute EGA into the pattern, and patented the design. But yes, they are more effective in their respective environments (woodland/desert) than the ACU pattern in either one.

On a sidenote, back in the 90s I worked with OPFOR scouts at Hohenfels Germany, CMTC. They used BDUs in the orginal Tigerstripe pattern to look different from US and NATO forces training there. That pattern blended in perfectly with the German evergreens.

I like my MARPAT digitals. they are comfortable, durable, and DAMN do they look good. No offence ment to you army guys, but Marine Corps camies are the best in my book.

Yeah, If I had to pick just one for looks, comfort AND utility,  the OG-107 jungles would be my choice...

 

I picked up a set of the ACUs a year before retirement, just to have a set. Theyarecomfy, butthere are things about them (velcro pocket closure, zipper front) that I just did not care for. The pattern is a good in only a few environments where it really blends in. I think the old ERDL brown dominant jungle camo was more effective in multiple environments. It even worked good in most parts of NTC once you had your dust coating... Which only took a few hours there... For a good combination of looks and comfort, the old jungle fatigues(OG-107s) just could not be beat. Starched up in garrison they looked very sharp, and for field use without starch in the heat and humidity of summertime Ft Polk were about the only tolerable uniform of that era. I hated the original disco collar BDUs. But I still have a set or two in the closet for sentimental value.

When I'm doing stuff in ACUs-like on a range or something, or doing an FTX; I've noticed that they are a bit more comfortable than the older BDUs that we used.  However, I've only ever seen them blend remotely to the background about 2 times.  One was just before dawn, on a severely frosty spring day, when we were walking through a soy bean field, and another was on a land nav course, I was jumped by our colonel at one of my points.  He just sat about 15m off the point, on a log and blended in perfectly with the broken snow cover...I have heard rumors though that they are thinking about replacing them though...

Glad I dodged the bullet on those digital cammies... I retired just as they where coming into the system...  Personally, I think they they look like ca-ca... I went through about 15 Army uniform changes, from '76 to '06, I think... From the cotton "Starchies", OG 108s to the permanent-press, BDUs, BDUs with the Elvis collar, then without, with waist tabs, then without, ERDLs and jungles to fill in for the lack of a tropical BDU, DCUs, Hot Weather BDUs, Wool Class A/s, then the two Class A weaves, Poplin to mint-green shirts, black sweaters, OD sweaters, Khakis, etc... Not to mention boot changes, T-shirt colors, socks, headgear...

For a while in the early 80s, it was real challenge to be in correct "The uniform of the day"...

      

Nice collection, stikpusher! Thanks for sharing with us!